What I Learned in Q3 and Q4
During quarter 3 and quarter 4, I learned about both GMOs and evolution. I think both of these topics were influential in my life because they are applicable in everyday life. GMOs are more common than I had realized before. According to class lectures, most fruits and vegetables in the grocery store are GMOs; we deal with GMOs essentially everyday. Evolution is also very common. I learned that the struggle between humans and bacteria is explained in the Red Queen Hypothesis. I also learned that the five mechanisms of evolution are migration, mutation, artificial selection, natural selection, and genetic drift. In addition to increasing my biology knowledge base, learning about GMOs and evolution have impacted my comprehension skills. Since I learned about GMO and evolution in quarter 3 and 4, I can make educated decisions about what is true and what has fallacies or biases. For example, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGqQV6ObFCQ&safe=active) this video talks about GMO. I know that this video doesn’t really understand the purpose behind GMO. For one thing, this video claims that it’s bad for plants to be able to kill bugs by themselves. The video says that scientists put pesticides (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/02/genetically-modified-crops-pesticides_n_1931020.html) in the plants that kill bugs. However, I know from my knowledge of GMO and evolution that this is a process of mutation, natural selection, and artificial selection. It is mutation because the scientists are genetically changing (thus making it a GMO) the plant. Natural selection comes into play because by putting this defense mechanism into the plant allows the plant to defend itself from its natural enemies such as bugs and diseases. This actually helps the plant because according to the Red Queen Hypothesis (http://www.indiana.edu/~curtweb/Research/Red_Queen%20hyp.html), if the plant failed to evolve and find a way to defend itself from its natural enemies, the plant would go extinct. Lastly, this is artificial selection because humans are changing the plant to make it possess traits that are attractive to humans; this process is also called domestication (http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v418/n6898/full/nature01019.html). It’s important to be able to dissect a video like the one above and being to deem what is accurate. Being able to do this is called being science literate. If I wasn’t science literate, I probably would have believed that video and thought that GMOs are horribly bad. However, since I am science literate and able to make informed decisions, I know that GMOs are simply organisms that are genetically modified and nothing more. I also know that the evolution theory isn’t an anti-Christ theory; it’s about how a population changes genetically over time. In conclusion, having at least a general understanding of science topics is extremely important, so that you can be able to determine what is truth and what is biased fiction in this big world of information.
The 1st Law of Conservation of Energy is critical in our every day lives. The 1st Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed. I know what youʻre thinking, “How the heck does that relate to anything?!” Well, first off, this law is the explanation to why we eat. Since we can’t create our own energy, we need to steal it from other organisms by eating food! I applied this knowledge to my life by trying to eat healthy(ish) (choosing water over sugary juice, fruits over doughnuts, etc.) because I now realize that what I eat is being used throughout my body for several purposes such as giving me the energy to do even the most simple every day tasks. Since we require energy to do any type of work, it is important for us to remember that what we’re eating really affects our bodies and ultimately, our ability to perform. I have also made others aware of this by telling them to eat period! When it’s close to the end of the quarter, everyone starts skipping lunch, myself included at time, but I remind people that skipping lunch is very unhealthy for that person in the long run and short run. Without the consumption of food, these people won’t be able to think properly because their bodies didn’t steal any energy from food! So therefore, they won’t be able to do work very efficiently because they don’t have energy! In conclusion, the knowledge I obtained about the 1st Law of Conservation of Energy has been extremely relevant and helpful in my every day life.
Cellular Reproduction
Cellular Reproduction is something that everyone should know about. This knowledge of cellular reproduction has affected me personally because I like to garden. Sometimes I take clippings of trees and plant them. Learning about asexual and sexual reproduction has opened my eyes to the pros and cons of both of these methods of reproduction. I think it is obvious why the knowledge of cellular reproduction is important to me and everyone on this earth. Without reproduction, none of us would be here. Knowing how reproduction happens helps us disable potential risk factors that could mess with the process. Since reproduction is something that everyone should know about, I share my newly-obtained mana'o with other people by teaching them about it. When people ask me questions about that topic, I answer their questions to the extent of my knowledge. I also started telling people that are kalo farmers about the benefits of not just planting their kalo from cutting off the huli (asexual reproduction). When I told them this information, they were surprised because they were unaware of the risk factors (such as disease) that threatened their kalo by their reproduction methods. However, they didn't change their kalo-planting methods because they didn't like how sexual reproduction took more time to grow kalo. In conclusion, cellular reproduction is definitely a science skill that everyone should know about.
Photosynthesis Word
Photosynthesis
Ka- the
Ola- life
Hānai- birth
Mea- thing, one
Kameahānaiola- the thing that gives birth to life
I chose to rename photosynthesis as the word “Kameahānaiola”. Photosynthesis creates life that’s why, and we, as humans, would not be able to live without the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process that allows plants to live, and we humans need plants to live. As stated in the Biology textbook, photosynthesis allows plants to create food to eat and use. The results of the light reactions and Calvin Cycle ultimately contribute to the creation of PGAL, which is a molecule that plants use to create biomolecules such as amino acids, proteins, and for long time storage (starch), lipids. PGAL feeds the plant and allows it to grow, so the process of photosynthesis can occur again. According to Hawaiian culture, as stated in the hula, Auʻaʻia, people, especially native people, have to bind themselves to the ʻāina (the land) because the ʻāina is what provides life. Without plants and the land, we humans would not be able to survive. In sum, photosynthesis could be considered Kameahānaiola because it is the process that allows not only plants to live, but humans as well.
Ola- life
Hānai- birth
Mea- thing, one
Kameahānaiola- the thing that gives birth to life
I chose to rename photosynthesis as the word “Kameahānaiola”. Photosynthesis creates life that’s why, and we, as humans, would not be able to live without the process of photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the process that allows plants to live, and we humans need plants to live. As stated in the Biology textbook, photosynthesis allows plants to create food to eat and use. The results of the light reactions and Calvin Cycle ultimately contribute to the creation of PGAL, which is a molecule that plants use to create biomolecules such as amino acids, proteins, and for long time storage (starch), lipids. PGAL feeds the plant and allows it to grow, so the process of photosynthesis can occur again. According to Hawaiian culture, as stated in the hula, Auʻaʻia, people, especially native people, have to bind themselves to the ʻāina (the land) because the ʻāina is what provides life. Without plants and the land, we humans would not be able to survive. In sum, photosynthesis could be considered Kameahānaiola because it is the process that allows not only plants to live, but humans as well.
All photos were taken by me, and the ice cream was Cashman! :)
Chapgar, Jasmine. Photosynthesis. N.d. Photograph. Sheppard Learning. Web. 9 Dec. 2012.
Pokemon: http://wallzoa.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/pokemon-wallpaper-for-computer.jpg
Pokemon: http://wallzoa.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/pokemon-wallpaper-for-computer.jpg